Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

The beer: Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale is a very sweet, light and fruity lager with hints of strawberry. If you’re looking for a different kind of lager taste, this is definitely one to try. The recipe is minimalistic compared to other craft beers. It uses only one variety of hop and one variety of malt, but adds red rice to give it a pink tint that wouldn’t look out of place in a cocktail glass. This is a fun, yet strange beer that doesn’t taste as you’d expect from looking at it (I was expecting some kind of red ale). It also packs a punch at 7% ABV, so don’t have too many of these if you need to get up in the morning!

The little extra: Is it an ale or a lager?! Although the name suggests that this is an Ale, this beer uses a lager malt and is therefore classified as a Japanese Rice Lager.

Where we bought it: Kris Wines – a hidden gem tucked away on a very plain North London high street.